Figgy Pudding

Figgy Pudding. NY Times

Also known as plum pudding or Christmas pudding, figgy pudding is a traditional British dessert served on Christmas. (“Pudding” in the United Kingdom is what “dessert” is called elsewhere.) Many families boast their own recipes, but in general, this rich cake-like dessert is made with a mix of dried fruits soaked in liquor, warm spices, fresh breadcrumbs, nuts and sometimes candied citrus. Beef suet, which is available online, is the traditional fat used, but it can be substituted with butter.  Figgy pudding preparations often begin the Sunday before Advent, on Stir-up Sunday, when family members take turns stirring the pudding. Figgy pudding requires planning, so start shopping for ingredients at least one month before Christmas. After the initial steam, the pudding rests at least 3 weeks for the flavors to meld. The pudding can also be made months in advance, stored in the freezer and reheated before serving. The final presentation of drizzling it with liquor and setting it on fire is worthy of a grand holiday celebration.

9 hours cooking  3 weeks resting. 10 servings

Ingredients:

For The Pudding
1cup/150 grams dried currants, (see Tip 1)
1cup/150 grams raisins
1cup golden raisins or sultanas

3/4 cup brandy plus more for serving

5 ounces/150 grams packaged, not fresh, beef suet, or
    ¾ cup/172 grams unsalted butter
120 grams fresh white bread (3 to 4 slices)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened at room temperature

1cup/150 grams packed dark brown sugar
½cup/70 grams all-purpose flour
½teaspoon baking powder
1teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see Tip 3)
½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1medium tart apple, preferably Granny Smith
2 large eggs
1tablespoon black treacle or molasses, to taste (optional)
½teaspoon lemon zest
⅓cup/50 grams blanched slivered almonds
Unsalted butter, for greasing
Hard sauce, ice cream, fresh heavy cream or English custard, for serving (optional)

For The Hard Sauce

8 tablespoons/115 grams unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
¾ cup/93 grams confectioners’ sugar, plus more to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons brandy, to taste.

Directions:

Set aside a 2 liter pudding or a heat-proof bowl as well as a lidded pot of similar size.


Place the currants and both types of raisins in a medium bowl. Add the brandy, mix, cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature to soak overnight. Place the suet or butter in the freezer to make grating easier later.


The following day, cube the bread, including the crust, transfer it to a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs. (Alternatively, you can shred the bread by hand.

Transfer the bread crumbs to a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt; mix, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar. Peel the apple, then grate it and the suet (or butter) on the large hole of a box grater over the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, black treacle and lemon zest. Mix well with a wooden spoon; the mixture will be thick. Stir in the almonds and the brandy-soaked currants and raisins, along with any of the liquid.

At this point, the pudding can be steamed; or covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week for the flavors to deepen, and then steamed. To steam: Generously butter the pudding mold and transfer the mixture to it, filling the mold only ¾ of the way (the pudding will expand as it cooks). Pack down the mixture and smooth the top.   

Cut a round piece of parchment that will fit on top of the pudding mixture; butter one side and place it, buttered-side-down, on top. Cover the top of the mold with another piece of parchment that has a little overhang. Secure the parchment tightly to the rim of the mold with a rubber band or string, then trim the overhang. (Two sets of hands make this job easier.) Repeat with another piece of parchment paper. (This is important to do even if your mold comes with a lid. If a lid is included, place it over the parchment and cover the top of the lid tightly with foil. If you don’t have a lid, cover the parchment with 2 pieces of foil. You want to ensure you have a water-tight seal on the mold as it steams.)

Place the steamer basket in the pot. (If not using a steamer basket, place an inverted heat-proof plate or trivet, a folded cotton kitchen towel, or a couple of layers of aluminum foil on the bottom of the pot. Anything heat-proof that the pudding mold can safely sit on to prevent direct contact with the heat source will work.) Fill the pot ¼ of the way with water and bring to boil. Bring a separate kettle or small pot of water to boil. Carefully lower the pudding mold into the steamer basket, or rest it on top of whatever is in the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching. The water should come halfway up the sides of the mold. If it doesn’t, slowly add more boiling water from the kettle along the sides of the pot. Cover the pot, adjust the heat to medium-low or low —the water should be at a constant gentle simmer, but not boiling — and steam the pudding for 6 hours.

Check the pudding every 30 minutes to make sure the water is always at the halfway mark, adding more boiling water as needed. After 6 hours, carefully remove the mold from the pot and cool to room temperature. Store the pudding, covered in its mold, in the fridge for at least 3 weeks and up to 6 weeks, or in the freezer for up to one year (see Storage Tips).

Prepare the hard sauce, if using: Two days and up to 1 week before serving, place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Alternatively, use a hand-held beater and a mixing bowl.) Beat on medium until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on medium just until smooth. Taste and add more sugar, if desired. Add the brandy, to taste, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix by hand with a spatula until combined. Transfer to a serving dish, smooth the top, cover and refrigerate until hard.

About 2 hours before serving the pudding, reheat the pudding by steaming as directed in Step 7, this time for 1 hour. Remove the mold from the pot and peel off all the coverings, being mindful of the steam. Place a serving dish over the mold and invert the pudding. Don’t remove the mold right away. Give it a little time and a jiggle to help release the pudding.
                                                                                                          Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of brandy in a heat-proof ladle. Hold the ladle over the pudding and carefully light it. As soon as the brandy catches fire, pour it over the pudding. The pudding will light up in a blue haze; it will extinguish quickly on its own.                                                                                                                                                                       Slice the pudding and serve it warm with hard sauce, ice cream, or drizzled with heavy cream or custard. The pudding will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, wrapped well in parchment and again in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.                                                           TIPS                                                                                       Feel free to substitute a variety of dried fruits for the currants and raisins, such as diced figs, apricots or cherries.                                                                                                                                                       Beef suet, a fat used in many British recipes, is traditional here. It comes packaged in a hard block or pellets. Fresh suet has a strong, meatier odor and taste, so it is not recommended here.                                                                                                                      Traditionally, an English spice mix is used that includes many of the spices used in American pumpkin spice mix, as well as ground coriander and mace. If you like, you can add a tiny pinch of those to the pumpkin spice.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             If you’d like to remove the steamed pudding from the mold before storing it, wrap it very tightly with plastic wrap, then in foil. Before reheating, unwrap the pudding and transfer it back to the mold.

Step 1

Set aside a 2-liter pudding mold or similarly sized heat-proof bowl, as well as a lidded pot or steamer large enough to hold the mold. (A tall pot, like a stock pot or a pasta pot with a steamer basket, works well.)
Step 2


Place the currants and both types of raisins in a medium bowl. Add the brandy, mix, cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature to soak overnight. Place the suet or butter in the freezer to make grating easier in Step 4.
Step 3


The following day, cube the bread, including the crust, transfer it to a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs. (Alternatively, you can shred the bread by hand.)

Step 4


Transfer the bread crumbs to a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt; mix, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar. Peel the apple, then grate it and the suet (or butter) on the large hole of a box grater over the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, black treacle and lemon zest. Mix well with a wooden spoon; the mixture will be thick. Stir in the almonds and the brandy-soaked currants and raisins, along with any of the liquid.


Step 5


At this point, the pudding can be steamed; or covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week for the flavors to deepen, and then steamed. To steam: Generously butter the pudding mold and transfer the mixture to it, filling the mold only ¾ of the way (the pudding will expand as it cooks). Pack down the mixture and smooth the top.
Step 6


Cut a round piece of parchment that will fit on top of the pudding mixture; butter one side and place it, buttered-side-down, on top. Cover the top of the mold with another piece of parchment that has a little overhang. Secure the parchment tightly to the rim of the mold with a rubber band or string, then trim the overhang. (Two sets of hands make this job easier.) Repeat with another piece of parchment paper. (This is important to do even if your mold comes with a lid. If a lid is included, place it over the parchment and cover the top of the lid tightly with foil. If you don’t have a lid, cover the parchment with 2 pieces of foil. You want to ensure you have a water-tight seal on the mold as it steams.)
Step 7


Place the steamer basket in the pot. (If not using a steamer basket, place an inverted heat-proof plate or trivet, a folded cotton kitchen towel, or a couple of layers of aluminum foil on the bottom of the pot. Anything heat-proof that the pudding mold can safely sit on to prevent direct contact with the heat source will work.) Fill the pot ¼ of the way with water and bring to boil. Bring a separate kettle or small pot of water to boil. Carefully lower the pudding mold into the steamer basket, or rest it on top of whatever is in the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching. The water should come halfway up the sides of the mold. If it doesn’t, slowly add more boiling water from the kettle along the sides of the pot. Cover the pot, adjust the heat to medium-low or low —the water should be at a constant gentle simmer, but not boiling — and steam the pudding for 6 hours.
Step 8


Check the pudding every 30 minutes to make sure the water is always at the halfway mark, adding more boiling water as needed. After 6 hours, carefully remove the mold from the pot and cool to room temperature. Store the pudding, covered in its mold, in the fridge for at least 3 weeks and up to 6 weeks, or in the freezer for up to one year (see St

1. orage 

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Tips).Step 9

2. Prepare the hard sauce, if using: Two days and up to 1 week before serving, place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Alternatively, use a hand-held beater and a mixing bowl.) Beat on medium until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on medium just until smooth. Taste and add more sugar, if desired. Add the brandy, to taste, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix by hand with a spatula until combined. Transfer to a serving dish, smooth the top, cover and refrigerate until hard.

3. Step 10

   About 2 hours before serving the pudding, reheat the pudding by steaming as directed in Step 7, this time for 1 hour. Remove the mold from the pot and peel off all the coverings, being mindful of the steam. Place a serving dish over the mold and invert the pudding. Don’t remove the mold right away. Give it a little time and a jiggle to help release the pudding.

4. Step 11

   Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of brandy in a heat-proof ladle. Hold the ladle over the pudding and carefully light it. As soon as the brandy catches fire, pour it over the pudding. The pudding will light up in a blue haze; it will extinguish quickly on its own.

5. Step 12

   Slice the pudding and serve it warm, topped with hard sauce or ice cream, or drizzled with heavy cream or custard. The pudding will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, wrapped well in parchment and again in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

TIPS

• Tip 1: Feel free to substitute a variety of dried fruits for the currants and raisins, such as diced figs, apricots or cherries.
• Tip 2: Beef suet, a fat used in many British recipes, is traditional here. It comes packaged in a hard block or pellets. Fresh suet has a strong, meatier odor and taste, so it is not recommended here.
• Tip 3: Traditionally, an English spice mix is used that includes many of the spices used in American pumpkin spice mix, as well as ground coriander and mace. If you like, you can add a tiny pinch of those to the pumpkin spice.
• Tip 4: If you’d like to remove the steamed pudding from the mold before storing it, wrap it very tightly with plastic wrap, then in foil. Before reheating, unwrap the pudding and transfer it back to the mold.

Brandied Pumpkin Pie ~ NY Times.

Brandied Pumpkin Pie,   NY Times

 Pumpkin pie made with canned pumpkin is all well and good, but pumpkin pie made with fresh butternut squash purée is even better. Thin-skinned and easy to cut, butternut squash turns soft and velvety if you roast it, and a quick whirl in the food processor or a blender quickly reduces to it to a luscious purée. Here we’ve kept the seasonings on the light side to best showcase the character of the squash. But feel free to amp up the cinnamon and ginger if you like a spicier slice. The brandy is optional, and if you’d rather not use it, you can leave it out or substitute another spirit; bourbon is excellent. Yield 8 servings
Ingredients:
Crust:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour (150 grams)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
10 tablespoons (141 grams) unsalted butter (1¼ sticks), preferably a  

   high-fat, European style, chilled and cubed
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water, as needed
Filling

1¾ cups squash or pumpkin purée (see note)
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup dark brown sugar (160 grams)
2 tablespoons brandy
2 teaspoons ground ginger (4 grams)
1½teaspoons ground cinnamon (3 grams)
½ teaspoon kosher salt (3 grams)
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch ground clove

Directions:

Crust:In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms chickpea-size pieces. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist, but not wet. On a lightly floured surface, gather the dough into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer crust to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes.

While the dough chills, heat oven to 375 degrees. Line chilled crust with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed.

Filling: Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, eggs, cream, dark brown sugar, brandy, ginger, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, the nutmeg and clove. Pour mixture into the cooled pie shell. Transfer pie to a large baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden and center jiggles just slightly when shaken, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

TIPSTo make butternut squash purée, peel, halve and seed a 2½ to 3-pound squash and cut flesh into 1½-inch chunks. Coat with melted butter or oil and roast at 400 degrees, stirring once or twice, until the squash is tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Let cool, then purée in a food processor.                                                                                              

*To make the job even easier than above method, I cut the squash in half, scoop seeds, place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. No butter or oil needed. Bake at 300 degrees until you can "dimple" the thickest part. Cool slightly and scoop from peel. Puree in a food processor. DONE!

Blackberry Pomegranate Sangria

Blackberry Pomegranate Sangria

Ingredients:
2 bottles red Spanish table wine or other dry red wine
1 cup brandy
1/2 cup triple sec
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup pure pomegranate juice
1/2 cup simple syrup, or more to taste (equal parts sugar and water,
heated until sugar dissolves, cooled)
Orange slices from 1 or 2 oranges
Apple slices from 2 apples
1 cup fresh blackberries
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and let stand in a tightly sealed container or pitcher for at least 24 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Icewine-Braised Pears With Marmalade Creme Patissierie

Icewine-Braised Pears With Marmalade Creme Patisserie

Cooked in parchment and tied with string, these braised pears can be unwrapped at the table to reveal warm soft fruit and a decadent icewine sauce. A spoonful of marmalade-flavored custard alongside practically guarantees appreciation.  Serves 2 

Ingredients:

Marmalade Creme Patissierie
2 egg yolks 
2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar 
1 tbsp (15 mL) flour 
1 tbsp (15 mL) plus 1 tsp (5 mL) cornstarch 
¾ cup (175 mL) half & half cream 
¼ cup (60 mL) marmalade 
1 tbsp (15 mL) Grand Marnier or brandy 
Icewine-Braised Pears
2 firm but ripe Bosc pears
½ lemon
1 vanilla bean, sliced in half lengthwise
2 pieces parchment, cut into circles 13 inches (32 cm) in diameter
¼ cup (60 mL) icewine
2 tsp (10 mL) unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
In a medium-size heatproof bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, flour and cornstarch until smooth.    

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine half & half cream, marmalade and Grand Marnier. Bring to a boil. Whisk to break up and dissolve marmalade; remove from heat. Pour into egg mixture in a slow and steady stream down the side of the bowl, whisking constantly. Scrape mixture back into saucepan and return to low heat, continuing to whisk until mixture comes to a gentle boil. Cook for an additional minute; remove from heat. Pour into a small bowl, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 3 hours. (Crème patissière can be made up to 2 days in advance.) 

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).

Peel pears, but leave stems intact. Rub cut side of the lemon over pears, squeezing lemon to release juice. Working from the bottom of each, cut out cores with a sharp knife, scraping to remove seeds if necessary. Tuck one half vanilla bean into each pear, folding to fit.

Using two 1-cup (250-mL) ramekins (or 2 small cereal bowls), centre 1 piece of parchment over each. Gently lower pears into ramekins, causing parchment to cup pears. Divide icewine and butter between pears. Gather parchment around stems and tie each snugly with kitchen twine into a shoelace-style knot.6 Bake in ramekins (if using cereal bowls to shape, remove from bowls and place packages directly on a cookie sheet) for 60 to 75 minutes, or until soft and tender when gently squeezed through parchment. Remove packages from ramekins (if using) and serve warm on individual dessert plates with a spoonful ofMarmalade Crème Patissière.

Brandy Rose Cocktail ~ Vegan Tahini And Eggplant "Bacon" Dip

                                         

Brandy Rose Cocktail  Vegan Tahini 

And Eggplant "Bacon" Dip

A Jack Rose cocktail is traditionally made with American apple brandy. This flexible recipe is lovely with grape brandy, or even premium Cognac, and stays chilled and looks dramatic poured over colorful flavored ice.   Try this drink at cocktail hour alongside our creamy vegan Tahini and Eggplant “Bacon” Dip, garnished with fresh pomegranate seeds.  Dip recipe follows. 

Ingredients:
8 oz or more of pomegranate-blend juice (such as cranberry-pomegranate) for colored ice (optional)

3 oz brandy
2 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 oz grenadine 
Lemon twists for garnish

Directions:

1. For flavoured ice, at least 1 day before serving, pour juice into moulds and freeze overnight, or until solid. 

2. When ready to serve, fill a cocktail shaker with plain ice cubes then add brandy, lemon juice and grenadine, and shake for up to 30 seconds, or until the shaker is icy-cold. 

3. For each drink, pour half of the mixture through a fine cocktail sieve or wire strainer into a coupe glass. Or, if using flavoured ice, place ice in the bottom of two coupe or rocks glasses and pour half of mixture through a fine cocktail sieve or metal strainer into each glass. 

4. Garnish each drink with a lemon twist and serve.  Makes 2 drinks

Tahini And Eggplant "Bacon" Dip

This Middle Eastern plant-based dip gives the smoky flavour and crunch of bacon but in a creamy, satisfying vegan dip. Top with parsley and pomegranate seeds for a fresh, light holiday garnish. Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
Eggplant Bacon
½ medium-size eggplant
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
2 tbsp (30 mL) tamari
1 tbsp (15 mL) Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp (30 mL) maple syrup
1 tbsp (15 mL) liquid smoke
1 tsp (5 mL) smoked paprika
½ tsp (2 mL) fresh ground pepper
DIP
½ cup (125 mL) tahini (sesame paste)
½ tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
Juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, fi nely minced
¾ cup (175 mL) water
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Garnish
2 tbsp (30 mL) pomegranate seeds
1 tbsp (15 mL) Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions: 
1 For eggplant bacon, preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2 Cut eggplant in half again lengthwise. Using a sharp knife or mandoline, slice eggplant into very thin strips, about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Place in a single layer on baking sheet.

3 In a bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients to make sauce. Brush each side of eggplant with a generous amount of sauce. Bake in oven for 30 to 40 minutes until eggplant is dark brown and crisp.

4 Remove from oven and cool slightly. Finely chop eggplant bacon and set aside.

5 For dip, add all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until creamy. Mix in finely chopped eggplant bacon, reserving 1 tbsp (15 mL) for garnish. Refrigerate dip for at least 30 mins.

6 When ready to serve, garnish dip with the reserved 1 tbsp (15 mL) of eggplant bacon, pomegranate seeds and parsley. Serve alongside Crispy Baked Root Vegetable Skins (recipe below). 

Serves 4 to 6


Crispy Baked Root Vegetable SkinsNot only are root vegetable skins filled with nutrition, they save on food waste. These skins are absolutely delicious when lightly seasoned and baked. Every time you peel carrots, beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes or ginger, use a sharp peeler to peel wide pieces and place peels in a bowl stored in the refrigerator. These peels can be stored for up to 5 days with the exception of the russet potato peels, as they turn brown in color and should be used right away.
Ingredients:
Skin of 2 large red beets
Skin of 3 large parsnips
Skins of 3 large carrots|
Skin of 3 large sweet potatoes
Skin of 3 large russet potatoes
Skin of 1 large ginger root
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
½ tsp (2 mL) sea salt
½ tsp (2 mL) freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1 Using a sharp vegetable peeler, peel root vegetable skins into wide pieces.

2 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

3 In a large bowl, toss vegetable skins with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread evenly on baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until skins are crispy, occasionally checking and tossing for even crispiness.

4 Serve warm or at room temperature with dip.  Serves 4 to 6

Lobster Thermidor Burger

Lobster Thermidor Burger

Classic lobster thermidor is reimagined as a luxurious burger with a lobster-shrimp patty, two cheeses and a divine brown butter-tarragon mayo. Made from 18 herbs and spices, Old Bay is a famous seasoning blend from Maryland that really makes shellfish sing.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb (225 g) shrimp, peeled, deveined
1/2 cup (125 mL) panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped chives
1 egg
1 tbsp (15 mL) sour cream
1 tsp (5 mL) Keen’s mustard or other English mustard
1 tsp (5 mL) brandy 
1 tsp (5 mL) Old Bay seasoning
1 lb (455 g) cooked lobster meat, cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) chunks
2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (125 mL) mayonnaise
1 tsp (5 mL) dried tarragon
1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground black pepper
Canola oil for cooking
1/2 cup (125 mL) grated Gruyère
1/4 cup (60 mL) grated Parmesan
4 brioche buns, halved
4 leaves bibb or leaf lettuce, trimmed to fit bun

Directions: 

Place shrimp in bowl of food processor and pulse until a paste forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer to large bowl, fold in breadcrumbs, chives, egg, sour cream, mustard, brandy and Old Bay until thoroughly mixed. Add lobster and mix until just combined. Form into four equal patties to fit buns. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no more than 8 hours.

Place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until brown and foamy, about 3 minutes. Cool 2 minutes. Combine brown butter, mayonnaise,  tarragon, lemon zest and pepper in medium bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up 1 week.

Heat a film of oil in a large ovenproof, nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add burgers and reduce heat to medium. Cook until well browned  and an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) is reached, about 3 minutes per side.

While burgers are cooking, preheat broiler on low.

When burgers are done, combine Gruyère and Parmesan and divide evenly over burgers. Place frying pan under broiler until cheese is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from oven.

Toast buns and spread mayo mixture on both sides. Top with burgers and lettuce. Serve immediately.  Serves 4

 

 

Sirloin Steak With Black Pepper Sauce

Sirloin Steak With Black Pepper Sauce

 “Some people think it’s terrible to put anything on a well-cooked rib-eye, but this sauce is special and worth it. In West Africa, pepper sauce is the equivalent of ketchup or Tabasco. It’s on the table everywhere you go: It’s a tomatoey hot sauce made with Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers. At the restaurant, we do a mustardy black pepper sauce: less heat, more tang. It’s delicious.”—James Beard Award nominees JJ Johnson and Alexander Smalls with Veronica Chambers 

Ingredients:

Grilled Rib-Eye
4 (1 1/2-inch-thick) bone-in rib-eye steaks (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Black Pepper Sauce 

2 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter
2 sliced shallots
Kosher salt to taste

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/3 cup brandy
• 1 1/2 cups veal or low-sodium beef stock
• 1/4 cup whole black peppercorns, soaked in 1 cup water overnight, drained
• 2 tablespoons jarred green peppercorns (optional)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste 
• Directions:
  Prepare the rib-eye: let the steaks stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
  
  
•  In a 2-quart saucepan, melt one cube of butter over medium heat. Stir in the shallots and sprinkle with salt. Cook until the shallots become translucent, about 5 minutes, then add the mustard and thyme. Continue to cook the mixture for about 3 minutes, and then pour in the brandy to deglaze the pan. Let the sauce simmer and reduce by one quarter, about 5 minutes.

Add the stock and peppercorns and bring back to a simmer. Once the sauce has reduced by half, about 15 minutes, stir in the cream and pepper and simmer for 5 additional minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and using a stick immersion blender, blend in the remaining cubes of butter until the sauce is completely smooth.

Make the rib-eye: preheat a large cast-iron grill pan over high heat. Rub the steaks with oil, then season with salt and pepper on both sides. When the grill pan is smoking hot, place the steaks in the pan, making sure to not overcrowd the pan.

Grill the steaks, turning frequently and pressing the edges and bone into the hot pan to sear them, for 12 to 15 minutes for medium-rare, or longer if desired. Remove the steaks and let them rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

To serve: top the rib-eye with the black pepper sauce.

Note: thoroughly pat your steaks dry before oiling and seasoning.

Mandarin & Chocolate Mousse

Mandarin & Chocolate Mousse

Sometimes old-fashioned things are just right on special occasions. This one dirties a lot of bowls (sorry!) and there are a few components to make, but each one is easy, and everything gets done ahead of time. All that’s left to do on the big night is to add the garnish. The payoff is a bunch of contrasting textures—silky, crunchy and sticky—with some delicious nostalgia in the mix.  Serves 8
Ingredients:

Candied Mandarin Peel
3 mandarins
1 cup (250 mL) sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) golden corn syrup
3/4 cup (175 mL) water

Sponge Toffee
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
3 tbsp (45 mL) golden corn syrup
2 tbsp (30 mL) water
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda

Mousse
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely grated mandarin zest
3/4 cup (175 mL) whipping cream
6 oz (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
6 tbsp (90 mL) unsalted butter
Pinch salt
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
1/4 cup (60 mL) strained mandarin juice
4 eggs, separated
1 tbsp (15 mL) brandy (optional)
1 tbsp (15 mL) sugar

Directions:
For the candied mandarin peel, using a paring knife, score peel of mandarins into quarters. Remove each quarter in one piece. Add to a pot of boiling water and cook until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. Once cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size pieces.

Clean out pot; add sugar, corn syrup and 3/4 cup (175 mL) water. Stir to dissolve sugar, bring to a boil over medium heat and add peel. Reduce to low, cover and maintain a gentle simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until translucent. Drain and arrange on a rack to dry overnight. (Transfer to a covered container to store up to 2 days longer.)

For the sponge toffee, line a baking sheet with parchment. Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil and cook to 300°F (149°C) on a candy thermometer (see TIP if you don’t have one). Remove from heat, stir in baking soda (mixture will foam) and immediately pour out onto prepared baking sheet. Let cool, then break into bite-size pieces (toffee may be stored in a dry place, uncovered, for a few days).

For the mousse, add zest to cream and set aside.

Combine chocolate and butter in a small bowl and microwave on low until melted. Whisk to combine and scrape into a large mixing bowl.

In a separate small bowl, stir together salt, honey and mandarin juice. Once honey is dissolved, whisk in egg yolks. Add to chocolate mixture along with brandy, if using; whisk until combined.

In a separate clean bowl, beat egg whites and sugar to stiff peaks. Add one quarter of beaten whites to chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold remaining whites into chocolate mixture.

Wipe whites bowl clean; pour cream into bowl through a fine-mesh sieve (discard zest). Whip to medium peaks, and fold into chocolate mixture until no streaks remain. Divide between eight dessert bowls or glasses, arrange on a tray, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, top each dish of mousse with broken Sponge Toffee and Candied Mandarin Peel.   Serves 8

Tom And Jerry Cocktail

The Invention of the Tom And Jerry

Jamie McFadden

 The invention of the Tom and Jerry cocktail is generally credited to British journalist Pierce Egan in the 1820’s.  Mr. Egan wrote a book, and subsequent play, called Life in London, in which the main characters are named Tom and Jerry.  It is believed that he introduced the cocktail as a way to promote his book and play.  Jerry Thomas, who is considered the father of modern mixology, was known to claim that he invented the Tom and Jerry, and although he published a similar egg-based cocktail in his 1862 book How to Mix Drinks (or The Bon-Vivant’s Companion), most historians agree that Egan is the true originator.

A Tom & Jerry is my second most absolute favorite Holiday beverage, next to an elegant French Sparkling Rose.  There are so many variations to this recipe, many with shortcuts.  However, this recipe was created by my Uncle Jim Schaffer who co owned the legendary Irish Tavern “The Shamrock”.   What a delight it was for me every Christmas evening to be in his home in the kitchen, licking the beaters from the mixer and watching him smile and laugh as he mixed this holiday cheer for family and friends.  The recipe is a bit time consuming………..but oh so delicious.  "Jamie McFadden"

From my home to yours…….Happy Holidays!!!

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Directions for: Uncle Jim’s Tom & Jerry’s

Ideally a stand mixer with 2 work bowls works best for this recipe.

To begin:

Crack and separate 6 eggs.

Place the 6 egg whites, room temperature, in the first mixing bowl and whip until soft peaks form.  Set aside.

Remove and wash the whip attachment and In a separate mixing bowl combine:

6 egg yolks with 1 pound powdered sugar, and whip until pale yellow. Next add 1 oz vanilla extract,

3/4 teaspoon allspice, 1 tbsp nutmeg and 1 1/2 oz of cream sherry.

With a plastic spatula gently combine the above 2 mixes and fold gently.

Fill a tea kettle with water and bring to a boil. 

Fill coffee mugs with 1 oz each brandy, rum and whiskey.  Pour in 1 -2 oz of the boiling water.  Top with up to 1 cup of the egg mix.  Gently mix and lightly dust the tops with freshly grated nutmeg.  Serve immediately.